Dear Editor: Director of Jersey City Planning Robert Cotter was quoted in your March 3 issue as saying, "In SoHo, where there're the old warehouses, every one of those buildings that has a loading dock on the ground level and commercial space three or four feet above the sidewalk, you'll see that none of those spaces is retail."

Mr. Cotter, when was the last time you visited SoHo – 20 years ago? Walk down any side street there today, and you'll see vibrant retail space – from galleries to furniture stores to clothing stores – up the stairs from the street. How about a useful response to the new FEMA maps in behalf of city residents, instead of misinformation that leads only to inaction?